IB Academics

Reflection on ‘Grand Paradigms’

doshi52395@gapps.uwcsea.edu.sg Theory of Knowledge 1 Comment
Resources Used: 

–Slideshow on ‘Grand Paradigms’.

-Link to video clip from Toy Story where Buzz realises he is not a real space Ranger after all.

1) In your view, how might the video to any of the ‘Grand Paradigms’ that we looked at today?

In my opinion, I feel that Buzz’s realisation that he is not a real space Ranger in the video parallels the shift that perhaps occured when we transitioned from the classical paradigm/modern paradigm to the post-modern paradigm. Firstly, I feel that it is important to establish what paradigms refer to. Paradigms are a distinct set of concepts, a pattern of thoughts or standards that constitute legitimate contributions to a particular field. It essence, they are the dominant discourse. Consequently, significant changes in the paradigms of concepts such as that of human existence can have major consequences – demanding reappraisal. In addition, when the innate egoist nature of animals is considered (which can be seen as a reductionist view), it is no surprise that when one finds that their existence – their lives, their choices and their feelings – are ultimately inconsequential in the face of the vast universe, that it is difficult to digest. After all, in our minds, the world constantly (yet inevitably) revolves around us. In the movie, Buzz is anthropomorphised and therefore his reaction reflects that of ours as humans. When he is shown that what he has believed in for so long is not true, it terrifies him because he is now faced by the unknown.

 

2) Later in the movie, Buzz gets over the dismay that we see in this clip.  (Don’t worry if you have not seen the movie).  Why do you think this might be?

(I haven’t watched the movie but) I think that despite knowing the ‘truth’, perhaps Buzz resorts to what we ourselves are often guilty of: denial. As humans, when we are confronted with the choice to continue living as we have always have in the past or to instead tackle the new – we often choose the former because it feels more safe and comfortable when we have all the answers. We ignore what we don’t know even when we are are subconsciously aware that it exists. And in the end, if doing so doesn’t hurt anyone, what have we got to lose? After all – does it really matter what we choose to believe when we are our existence is ultimately so inconsequential?

 

3) What’s your reaction to these these paradigms?  How do they appeal to you /repel you?

Personally I believe that there has been value in all the different paradigms to do with human existence that have existed thus far in the past. After all these paradigms are an ever-evolving reflection of how we as humans interpret the new knowledge that we come to possess. They help people to acclimatise to the changes that we counter in our quest to further progress and become more and more intelligent. Therefore it is less a matter of them appealing or repelling to us and more of how much of our thoughts we can see mirrored in them. After all, we feel a sense of security and comfort when we know that other’s see the world in the same way that we do. Undeniably, there is strength in numbers.

If you ask me, I feel that no single paradigm that speaks to me. I see a level of substance behind each of them. To me they are ‘food for thought’. However thinking too much doesn’t get me anywhere because no matter how much I think, I am confronted with questions I do not have the answers to. And so, I believe the smartest thing to do when we are faced with the concept of our existence as humans is to just keep on living as we do – in a pursuit to become smarter (and hope that one day we might stumble upon this supposed ‘truth’.)

The Ancient Tradition Of Empurfe Followed by The Plepeo

doshi52395@gapps.uwcsea.edu.sg Theory of Knowledge 1 Comment

Empurfe is the name of a magical potion that the majority of plepeo (who are found around the world) make use of. Whilst not all plepeo are knowledgeable in the art of making this potion, it is a skill that can be learned. The first empurfe maker has been traced as far back as the dawn of civilization.

Throughout history, various empurfe’s have been employed for a range of purposes: a sign to mark one’s individuality,  boost one’s self esteem or even invoke one’s memories. What’s more, investigations revealed that empurfe’s are often used in attempt to attract potential mates.

This potion can be prepared at home, or bought. Most often even small amounts of strong potions do not come at cheap price. After all, specific empurfe’s require a mixtures of ingredients – some of which can be expensive or difficult to obtain. Ingredients used in the preperation of these potions come only from the most carefully selected sources. Examples of such ingredients includes: ambergris (material found in digestive tract of sperm whales), caviar harvested from the fish eggs of a sturgeon fish, human secretions (eg.sweat, spit, urine), labdanum (combed from the thighs of goats that touched rockrose shrubs), skatole (a chemical found in feces and coal tar), cactus or even roses. One of the most popular potions even requires castoreum (secretions from anal glands of beavers).

According to the legends of the plepeo, empurfe’s have magical and intoxicating properties. However, the plepeo believe that in order to ascertain that the spell they cast is as strong as it can be, a ritual must be followed. Only a specified amount of content from the potion must be drawn. It must then be applied and rubbed onto certain areas of the body. Too less, and the spell will not be cast. Too much and the spell can have undesired consequences. Those knowledgable in the art of empurfe-making claim that the potion will draw the heat out from the bodies of plepeo to spread and take effect – infecting others. The plepeo claim that similar to other spells, the effects of these potions are only temporary but that certain potions can work longer than others.

Lastly it was discovered that plepeo take special precautions when storing their potions. The life or effectiveness of the empurfe is believed to be drastically affected by exposure to water, humidity and changing temperatures. Therefore, most plepeo hide their the potions in cool, dark and dry locations.

Reflections on Privilege & Paradigms

doshi52395@gapps.uwcsea.edu.sg Theory of Knowledge 1 Comment

Resources Explored:

Please explain what links you are making between this idea of privilege and paradigms. Can you draw on your own experiences of your own privilege here?

 

1. This is written by someone whose original field was that of power through the lens of gender.  Describe how she sees that field extending into the field power through the lens of race.

Even today, if not especially in today’s world, race and gender continue to play a significant role in the construction of our identities. Whilst today, gender is represented by a spectrum, historically, it has been predominantly recognized as binary. Similarly, in the United States, there has always been a fixed perception of the two preeminent races: European American (or White) and African American (or Black). Thus, the lens through which one may look at the phenomena that occur between the two genders can in many ways be extended to the two racial groups. The author then uses this to compare the arguably indisputable historical superiority and privilege of men against women, to that of European Americans against African Americans. Through this initial discussion of gender, the author utilizes an example that is relevant to everybody regardless of race, which also acts as a precursor, strengthening the understanding behind the argument which can be made about the prevalence of the hierarchy between the two racial groups. 

 

2. Explain her concept of the idea of ‘privilege’. Do you find this a helpful notion?  Explain your thinking, using examples from your own experience if you can.

Although it is a reductionist approach, the author’s view of privilege is encapsulated by the presence of having “unearned” and “unfair” advantages and disadvantages. For those who are ‘privileged,’ it is as though they possess a collection of “assets,” which others do not. Personally, I found this to be a very helpful notion in conveying what privilege is in its essence. Before actively seeking out resources in order to educate myself on this subject, I too was under the assumption that my moral state as an individual depended on my individual moral will. However, I realize now that this is not true. The reality is that we are part of a bigger community whether we want to be or not. Therefore, it becomes our responsibility to acknowledge the privilege which we may or may not possess as result of a “damaged culture.” To be ignorant to it, would be to accede to the norms that this culture continues to perpetuate. 

 

3. Pick one of her items on the list of 50 that elicited a reaction in you.  Explain your reaction.

#6 – I can turn on the television or open the front page of the paper and see people of my race widely represented.

My one true love has and will forever be– reading. Before I was brave enough to go and explore the world by myself, I lived vicariously through books. In fact, I still continue to. One thing that I can distinctly remember is that the first book set I read, always  had stories that ended with a ‘moral of the story’. Upon reflection, I have subconsciously carried that practice with me ever since– finding the moral to every story. With each book that I read, I carry forward important messages and life lessons– not only at the end of the story, but throughout. Ultimately, I believe that every story– nonfiction or fiction has a worthwhile takeaway. 

Something that came to my attention recently, when an Malaysian author came to our school to talk about her latest book was the representation of culture in literature. Point #6 brought this to the forefront of my mind. As an avid reader, I myself have begun to notice that I rarely saw myself in terms of culture in what I read. Instead the majority of it felt westernised. Westernization is deemed a process whereby societies come under or adopt Western cultures: norms, customs, lifestyle, traditions, etc. And whilst, it’s untrue to claim that there is a complete lack of representation of other cultures in literature, the truth is that there is a major imbalance. The vast majority of books available to kids today are undeniably westernized. Even the representation of other cultures is westernized to fit the pallet of a western audience. Televisions shows and other forms of media are no exception to this. At the end of the day, for most of us, does literature not play a huge role in shaping our thoughts as human beings? And if so, is it fair for kids to grow up being exposed to literature that does not represent their varying cultural backgrounds? 

 

4. Explain what you think is the most important point from the ‘Elusive and Fugitive’ section.

To me, the most notable point addressed in the ‘Elusive and Fugitive’ section was how for those in positions of privilege, the pressure to avoid it is great. The possession of privilege grants a license to a selected few in society “to be ignorant, oblivious, arrogant, and destructive.” It opens doors for “certain people through no virtues of their own.” And if we are honest with ourselves, who would not subconsciously favour being a recipient of such advantages? Only when we ourselves do not find ourselves in “favored states” do we demand acknowledgement of such distinctions. Furthermore, the reality is that a majority of these conditions of privilege are not only “earned or conferred by birth or luck,” they “work systematically.” Thus it is our responsibility to actively advocate against this system that empowers certain groups at the cost of others. 

Conceptual Understanding On Paradigms

doshi52395@gapps.uwcsea.edu.sg Theory of Knowledge 1 Comment

CU: Our paradigms are inevitably subjective. They are constructed from the interpretation of the knowledge that we already posses and compel us to shape our future interpretations in a similar manner.

Explanation with reference to the River Boat Story: In terms of sensory information, both the steam boat pilot and the passenger witnessed the same scene. The pilot possessed knowledge of how to navigate the river because he was trained in that manner. However, the passenger was not: he did not posses any knowledge of the same regard. Therefore, the preconception with which they both viewed the state of the river were distinct. Upon noticing different details about the river, the pilot used what he had learnt previously about the river to interpret what they signified: a warning. On the other hand, (as a product of lack of education on the same subject) the passenger shaped his interpretation on what little he had experienced in the past – perhaps that the setting sun was quite a vision. Thus, he simply resolved to seeing the beauty in the sight that lay before him. Perhaps, it is not that the pilot did not see the beauty of the river in that moment, but that the additional knowledge he had of the river, overshadowed that reaction with something that was more pre-eminent. By mastering the language of the river, it can be argued that the pilot has both ‘gained’ and ‘lost’ something. He has lost the ability to ever simply see and appreciate the beauty of the river alone without dread invading his thoughts. However he has gained a more valuable and realistic understanding of the river which grants him the advantage of knowing how to avoid a few of the dangers that he would have previously been ignorant to.

Scarcity, Psychology & Perception

doshi52395@gapps.uwcsea.edu.sg Theory of Knowledge 1 Comment

In today’s world, what decides if a product or service is successful or not, no longer solely depends on how practical or useful it might be. For a product to truly be attractive to consumers, it doesn’t even have to be unique – it just has to be marketed well. And marketing often relies upon the help of a human science: psychology. Businesses attempt to understand our innate cognitive biases and decision-making processes in an endeavour to take advantage of what drives our purchasing behaviour. One notable marketing tactic used is scarcity. 

Austrian neurologist and founding father of psychoanalysis, Sigmund Frued, first proposed the ‘pleasure principle’ in 1895. He suggested human’s innate tendencies were to seek pleasure and avoid pain. Despite this reductionist approach, in many ways, the foundation of scarcity as a tactic perhaps relies on this very theory. 

A professor at Cornell, Dr.Michael Lynn, explored “The Psychology of Unavailability: Explaining Scarcity and Cost Effects on Value,” compiling research from economic, psychological and sociological literature. A significant point mentioned addresses “unavailability” as a “heuristic cue that sometimes implies quality and other desirable attributes.” Heuristics are simplified decision strategies often used by humans, which while efficient, are often prone to biases – especially when our assumptions are false. For example, when products are presented as scarce, they often appear as more valuable to us then they are in reality. This entices us to make sometimes uneconomical or exorbitant purchases in the place of more reasonable or cost-efficient options. Furthermore the paper discusses how “the possession and display or unavailable resources,” acts as “a source of status.” The appeal of unavailable commodities can evidently be attributed to our vanity. For instance, the rising streetwear brand ‘Supreme’ used limited-edition, timed “drop” models in order to exploit consumer’s irrational desires. Having access to something that other people want but cannot have tempts us with the illusion of exclusivity and power – something which is hard to resist. 

The tactic of scarcity is quite intriguing – especially when one considers that despite being aware of this strategy, consumers cannot help but fall for it anyway. It shows us the amount of power that presentation can have on our perception of value.

Paper 2 Essay #1: Hoch x Fitzgerald

doshi52395@gapps.uwcsea.edu.sg English A: Language & Literature SL 0 Comment

Question: (Art, Creativity and Imagination) Art is a medium habitually used to expose implicit truths and reflect ideological criticism: to what extent is this true of two of the works you have studied?  

Thesis: Both Hoch and Fitzgerald portray the reality and multifaceted nature of the New Woman. Hoch does this by revealing the approach that the New Woman engendered among society, and Fitzgerald’s characterisation of Daisy and Jordan represents contrasting versions of the New Woman.

Essay: Art is a medium habitually used to expose implicit truths and reflect ideological criticism: to what extent is this true of two of the works you have studied?  

Whether it may be novels or photomontages– art is inevitably a tool used for expression. More often than not, artists are influenced by the ideological tenor of the times. This could mean raising social consciousness and even exhibiting criticism. For Hannah Hoch – a German female artist who began her career as part of the Berlin Dada school – , this tool endeavoured to voice the female perspective in Weimar era Germany– which saw the rise of the ideal European New Woman. Moreover, in F.Scott Fitzgerald’s novel ‘The Great Gatsby’, which was set in the roaring twenties and explored the sexual revolution, Fitzgerlad attempted to represent the American, New Woman. Both Hoch and Fitzgerald portray the reality and multifaceted nature of the New Woman. Hoch does this by revealing the approach that the New Woman engendered among society, and Fitzgerald’s characterisation of Daisy and Jordan represents contrasting versions of the New Woman.

Despite her changed role in society, the New Woman was not exempt from her former duties. Hoch relays this through her photomontage, ‘Monument I’, completed in 1924. The piece showcases a statue situated on a pedestal that consists of  photographs of body parts derived from various cut out from images, including those found in fashion magazines and some from museum listings (might not be the right word) photographs. Hoch recontextualizes this popular iconography from areas such as fashion, sport and history in order to represent and explore the concept of the multi-layered figure of the New Woman. The right leg of the statue is acquired from a photograph of German actress and singer Lilian Harvey with her friends at the beach. Hoch draws a parallel between them and the New Woman. Harvey and her friends encapsulate the altered appearance of the New Woman, who had began to sport more androgynous fashion, short hair-cuts, bare skin, and shaved legs. The right leg usually serves as the main foundation for one’s support. Through this conceptualization, Hoch indicates the hallmark of the New Woman. At the same time, the leg is attached to the torso and the arm, which were extracted from a photograph of an ancient Egyption deity named Taweret– the ancient Egyption goddess of childbirth and fertility. Through this connotative piece, Hoch makes reference to the two labels given to the New Woman, as the ‘Victim’ and the ‘Salvation’. Hoch highlights the double burden that the New Woman must cope with: raising a family and working alongside exploring her newfound freedom. It emphasizes that the New Woman had not been liberated from her duties towards her family and children, which were still very much prevalent. Furthermore, Hoch displays how society expected the New Woman to act as the saviour. Alongside the extended freedom granted, she was expected to display her nurturing and maternal attributes. Hoch attests that if the New Woman was efficient and able to successfully merge the two, it would be possible to meet the challenges of the newly rationalized word.

Fitzgerald also emphasizes how women’s rejection of any aspect of their traditional role would inevitably result in the destruction of the family – ultimately leading to the moral decline of society as a whole. This emphasis on the domestic domain of women, idealized them to be the centre of spiritual and moral goodness for their nuclear families. To Fitzgerald, Daisy embodied the 1920’s woman in transition between old and new values. Nick’s commentary is reflective of how society criticises the upholding of these traditional roles of women through Fitzgerald’s characterization of Daisy. When Nick asks Daisy about her daughter, she replies, “I suppose she talks, and-eats, and everything.’ This offhanded nature to her response is recurrent whenever her daughter is mentioned throughout the novel. Here, Daisy is criticized by society for her irresponsibility and detachment in the treatment of her daughter. Furthermore, when Daisy relays the birth of her daughter to Nick, she recalls when the nurse “told [her] it was a girl, and so [she] turned [her] head away and wept.” Initially, this alludes to the historical bias towards sons – which was and is still prevalent in many parts of the world. This is likely due to the persisting patriarchal nature of society- where boys are ultimately expected to grow up and be more productive economically in comparison to girls. Through this underlying assumption, Fitzgerald is critical of any concrete progress that the New Woman is symbolic of. Finally, Daisy remarks that “[she] hopes she’ll be a fool-that’s the best thing a girl can be in this world, a beautiful little fool.” Through these comments, not only does Fitzgerald display Daisy’s cynical view of the role of women such as herself in society, but also her lack of conviction in any betterment that the sexual revolution supposedly promises. As an evolving New Woman herself – this is worrisome. 

Similarly, Hoch implies that women were dealing with a false sense of equality in what remained a male dominated society. She demonstrated this through her photomontage, “Das Schone Madchen” or “The Beautiful Girl”, completed in 1920. While this particular collage features women, they are either faceless or their face has been obscured. However, the hallmarks of the New Women – such as the cut of a modern women’s hairstyle and thigh revealing bathing suit – have been preserved. Through this deliberate choice, Hoch alludes to beauty without any real substance. These characteristics were often linked to the advertised image of the New Woman who was portrayed as freethinking, independent and socially progressive. However, in this piece, the features are not presented in a glorified or idealized manner. Instead, their representation critiques and exposes the marketed cultural trends of the New Woman for what they truly were: superficial. On the other hand, the head of the decapitated woman wearing a bathing suit in the centre of the image, is replaced with a lightbulb. This is symbolic of the intellectual capability that women possessed. However, Hoch’s choice to feature the light bulb as unlit emphasizes this unacknowledged potential. The everyday life for the typical working german woman was one that contradicted the ideals which were often associated with the New Women. Finally, the repetitive symbols of mechanization such as the BMW logo, mechanical car parts and tire allude to the importance given to Germany’s automobile industry due to the sensitive situation of the German economy. Through this Hoch reveals how amongst the struggle to earn enough to run their homes, women did not have the opportunity to take advantage of their new political and social status. 

Lastly, Fitzgerald displays society’s tendency to infantilize women’s desire to retaliate against the false sense of equality they faced. Fitzgerald displays this through Nick’s psychoanalysis of Jordan’s character. To Fitzgerald, Jordan embodies the New Woman. A group of these women were coined Flappers– who were especially known to overtly subvert traditional standards of female behaviour. Later in the novel, Nick recounts when she had “left a borrowed car out in the rain with the top down, and then lied about it” during a  houseparty they attended. In addition, he describes that she exudes a “cool, insolent smile turned to the world”. These descriptions of Jordan divulge the stereotypical view of flappers that society held: arrogant, unemotional and often irresponsible. Furthermore, he narrates how she “instinctively avoided clever, shrewd men”, and how he now saw that, “this was because she felt safer on a plane where any divergence from a code would be thought impossible.” Fitgerald displays how Nick translated Jordan’s preference for men of lower intellect to be a result of her own insecurity, rather than the desire to be treated equally. His analysis reflected how society trivialized these women to ascertain that they weren’t “able to endure being at a disadvantage”, when in reality this was a hypocritical assessment of the New Woman. 

To conclude, both Hoch and Fitzgerald use their respective creative fields to expose the implicit truths and reflect ideological criticism in regard to the New Woman. Hoch and Fitzgerald both stress that despite the New Woman’s changing political and social status, they were still bound to their conventional domestic duties. Fitzgerald further emphasizes this by illustrating consequences of abandoning their duties and the judgement of society. Hoch unveils the reality that women were dealing with a false sense of equality in what continued to remain a patriarchal society in its core. Finally Fitzgerald critiques society’s evaluation of what were in actuality – women’s attempts to be treated equally. Despite the cultural differences present between the European and American New Woman, both artists ultimately attempt to untangle what is essentially a historically, and geographically unified perception of women’s role in society and at home.

Höch and the New Woman: Analytical Writing

doshi52395@gapps.uwcsea.edu.sg English A: Language & Literature SL 0 Comment

Based on the image just analysed, write a similar paragraph to the one below that addresses the representation of women (this paragraph is about Monument)

Monument by Höch seems to destabilize the binaries between Western values and those of ‘other’ cultures, and explores the similarities in their representations of women. A photomontage that combines images from the then contemporary German gossip magazines, with images of a Gabonese mask and a Theban goddess, Monument recontextualizes these different images, all of them parts of different women, onto a plinth. This choice of setting seems to suggest that the new figure she assembles in the image is an object to be studied. Indeed, while Germany, and indeed most cultures at the time, were chauvinistic and culturally elitist, the juxtaposition of these elements, two from African cultures that might be ethnographically studied as ‘exotic’ and ‘primitive’, and two contemporary, suggests that women across time have been treated in a similar manner. The reassembled figure is a product of fragments, with Höch perhaps implying that across cultures, women are frequently objectified and dismembered in art, always the subject of art and rarely the creator. While in Weimar era Germany the concept of the New Woman seemed to challenge traditional gender roles, and Höch herself was an embodiment of this powerful new cultural figure, she also revealed some of the paradoxes of this idea. Women certainly did have new roles in the workplace, yet they were also expected to remain maternal and passive. Women were expected to be an almost impossibly paradoxical idea: active and passive; domestic and public; nurturing/maternal and at the same time leaders in the workplace. This impossible role meant they were judged by two standards at once. The recontextualised and reassembled figure embodies this. It is ancient and modern, whole and partial. The selection of a statue of a Theban goddess as the main body of the text seems especially pertinent. While a goddess is a figure to be worshipped, the process of worshipping women often puts them on a pedestal (here, literally represented through the plinth): they are worshipped as some embodiment of pure ideals – ideals that are impossible for an individual to adhere to, and ideals that also reductive, as they are constructed almost wholly through a male gaze. By revealing that the paradoxes of female representation cut across time and culture, Höch challenges the supposed progress of Weimar Germany, while also representing a new kind of woman: one who is a composite of all cultures, but whose almost-grotesque re-imagining, most obviously revealed by her choice of an arm for a leg, challenges these stereotypical standards of beauty and identity.

Response: 

“Das Schone Madchen” or “The Beautiful Girl”, completed by Hoch in 1920, explores the false sense of equality that German women were dealing with in what remained a patriarchal society. The photomontage combines clippings of car parts from advertisements and female figures from magazines – images which Hoch recontextualizes. The collage features several hallmarks of the European ‘New Women’ – such as the cut of a modern women’s hairstyle and thigh revealing bathing suit. However, Höch purposely presents these features on women without faces – recontextualizing them to allude to beauty without real substance. Through this choice, she subverts the advertised image of the ‘New Woman’ who was portrayed as freethinking, independent and socially progressive. This representation exposes these superficial cultural trends for what they truly were – a marketing ploy by the new industries. Despite any freedom that the lifestyle of ‘New Woman’ promised, it was ultimately constructed by men who still held the majority of power in society. Furthermore, in the centre of the collage, the head of the women wearing a bathing suit is replaced with an unlit filament light bulb. Electric lighting and light bulbs were fairly new inventions during that time and so through this light bulb, Hoch symbolizes the ‘New Woman’ who became economically significant. They were now employed out of home and there was a new market for the industries whose products they would consume. However, through the Hoch’s choice of utilizing a unlit light bulb can also construe the restraint that existed on the intellectual capability that women possessed. Despite their emergence into the workforce, they were still restricted to certain jobs and had less employment benefits in comparison to their male counterparts. Finally, the recurrent symbol of the BMW logo allude to the importance given to German’s automobile industry due to the sensitive situation of the German economy during that time. Through this, Hoch reveals how amongst the struggle to sustain their homes, women did not have the opportunity to take advantage of their new political and social statuses. Additionally, through the use of this motif, Hoch once more critiques the effect of the new industries and the mass production and advertisement that came along with them, on the identity of females. They fabricated an artificial persona that was essentially a marketable product. By using her art to expose implicit truths and reflect ideological criticism, Hoch  ultimately challenges the supposed progress that the “New Woman” represented in Weimar Germany. 

Women in Gatsby: Analytical Writing

doshi52395@gapps.uwcsea.edu.sg English A: Language & Literature SL 0 Comment

Write a similar paragraph in response to the extract below, answering the question ‘How does Fitzgerald present Daisy in this scene?’

He took out a pile of shirts and began throwing them, one by one before us, shirts of sheer linen and thick silk and fine flannel which lost their folds as they fell and covered the table in many-colored disarray. While we admired he brought more and the soft rich heap mounted higher–shirts with stripes and scrolls and plaids in coral and apple-green and lavender and faint orange with monograms of Indian blue. Suddenly with a strained sound, Daisy bent her head into the shirts and began to cry stormily.

“They’re such beautiful shirts,” she sobbed, her voice muffled in the thick folds. “It makes me sad because I’ve never seen such–such beautiful shirts before.”

After the house, we were to see the grounds and the swimming pool, and the hydroplane and the midsummer flowers–but outside Gatsby’s window it began to rain again so we stood in a row looking at the corrugated surface of the Sound.

“If it wasn’t for the mist we could see your home across the bay,” said Gatsby. “You always have a green light that burns all night at the end of your dock.”

Daisy put her arm through his abruptly but he seemed absorbed in what he had just said. Possibly it had occurred to him that the colossal significance of that light had now vanished forever. Compared to the great distance that had separated him from Daisy it had seemed very near to her, almost touching her. It had seemed as close as a star to the moon. Now it was again a green light on a dock. His count of enchanted objects had diminished by one.

Response: 

Fitzgerald’s initial presentation of Daisy in the extract could exhibit her as a woman of superficial, shallow and silly disposition. He first introduces Gatsby’s ostentatious display of wealth through the polysyndetic listing of the shirts. Gatsby’s shirts are described as being made of ‘sheer linen and thick silk and fine flannel’, all of which are expensive, luxurious and high grade fabrics that are exclusively catered to the upper class. The polysyndeton emphasizes the idea of material wealth that is displayed by the description of these shirts and connected by the conjunction. Fitzgerald subsequently introduces Daisy through her reaction to these symbolic shirts. At first glance, Daisy’s response as she “began to cry stormily’ can be seen as ironic, when she exclaims that “they’re such beautiful shirts”. This irony is reinforced by her dialogue, as she explains that she is “sad because [she’s] never seen such–such beautiful shirts before’. However, she doesn’t only cry as a result of the satisfaction that all of his material wealth brings her. As the novel proceeds, it is evident that it is at this moment that she may have realized that Gatsby had become a fitting way in which to get back at her husband Tom. Daisy is aware that Gatsby can never truly become one of the upper class, despite his rise in wealth, and that she will eventually have to return to Tom for the comfort and protection that his money and power poses. Her refusal to admit her love for Gatsby towards the end of the novel is suggestive of the fact that her attachment to him was purely business. Despite how Daisy’s nature may have appeared as in the beginning, her actions eventually suggest that she is more manipulative and shrewd than she is doltish. She is not fooled by the illusion of class mobility, and very much aware of how the world really works.

 

Additional Points/Ideas To Explore Post Feedback:

  • How does the culture of the time restrict Daisy from ever really getting with Gatsby?

Despite the emerging sexual revolution of the “roaring twenties”, traditional societal expectations and norms surrounding the sphere of woman had not completely transformed. In fact, the ‘new woman’ was commended for her ability to handle both the household (which involved childcare) and her work. Additionally, this emphasis on the domestic domain of women, had idealized them to be the centre of spiritual and moral goodness for their nuclear families. Extra-marital affairs are considered immoral and acts of betrayal, regardless of who commits the misdeed. Howerer, perhaps, it is because of this angelic portrayal of women, that they are punished more harshly for their misdeeds by society (labeled ‘adulteresses’) in comparison to men. It is possible that this is also what restricts Daisy from ever leaving Tom and being with Gatsby. 

  • Anything sympathetic you could also consider? 

There are various signs throughout the novel that suggest Tom’s abusive behaviour not only towards Daisy, but also towards other women like Myrtle. Fitzgerad hints about Tom’s multiple affairs – one even during their honeymoon. Tom is shown using physical violence as well – an example being when he breaks Myrtle’s nose. Gatsby, on the other hand displays his undying devotion to Daisy at various stages. Fitzgerald suggests that the possibility of attaining Daisy, was what initially inspired Gatsby to rise in wealth. When they reunite and Daisy voices that they “haven’t met for many years”. He responds with, “Five years next November.” The fact that he knows the exact month they parted displays how  intensely invested he is in their relationship. Perhaps, she is crying because she desires to be with Gatsby who offers her so much devotion, but does not possess the strength to bear the consequences she would have to face if she left Tom. 

Reverse Collage & Analytical Paragraph on Hanna Höck’s “Monument I”

doshi52395@gapps.uwcsea.edu.sg English A: Language & Literature SL 0 Comment

The ‘Monument I’ is an art piece by Hanna Hoch, completed in 1924. It consists of a photomontage with watercolour on paper. Featured in the Monument I is a statue situated on a pedestal that consists of body parts derived from a wide range of photographs. Through her photomontage, ‘Monument I’, Hanna Hoch recontextualizes popular iconography from areas of fashion, sport and history in order to represent and explore the concept of the multi-layered figure of The New Woman. 

The right leg of the statue is acquired from a 1928 photograph of German actress and singer Lilian Harvey with her friends at the beach. Hoch draws a parallel between them and the New Woman. Harvey and her friends encapsulate the altered appearance of the New Woman, who had began to sport more androgynous fashion, short hair-cuts, bare skin, and shaved legs.  

The torso and arm of the statue are extracted from a photograph of an ancient Egyption deity named Tawaret who is depicted as a hippopotamus with feline attributes, female human breasts, the limbs and paws of a lion, and the back and tail of a Nile crocodile. She is the protective ancient Egyption goddess of childbirth and fertility, who bore the names: “Lady of the Birth House” and “She who is great”. Through this connotative piece, Hoch makes reference to the two labels given to the New Women, as the ‘Victim’ and the ‘Salvation’. Hoch highlights the double burden that the New Woman must cope with: raising a family and working. It emphasizes that the New Woman had not been liberated from her duties towards her family and children, which were still very much prevalent. Furthermore, Hoch displays how society expected the New Woman to act as the saviour. She was expected to display her nurturing and maternal attributes whilst also being efficient, fit and quick. If she was able to successfully merge the two, it would be possible to meet the challenges of the newly rationalized word. 

The head of the statue features a photograph of a white Punu-Lumbo mask which is a female tribal mask native to the Ogooue River basin in Gabon, Africa. Their white colour is symbolic of light, beauty and clarity. The beautiful female masks are showcased during the daytime, in contrast to the darker male masks which are considered ugly by the locals. Furthermore, the female masks are linked to female ancestor celebration dances. Through this emblematic element, Hoch illustrates the emergence of the New Woman out of the war. New woman had become enfranchised in a way that she wasn’t before. She had a changed political role. She worked outside of the home, in public. She had become socially and culturally significant. However, it also alludes to the portrayal of the New Woman in the eyes of men who viewed her as a ‘villain’,  responsible for taking away work from them.

Finally, Hoch mounts the completed figure of the statue upon a black pedestal or stand. This position can either be given to those either greatly admired or those who are to be held accountable for their wrongdoing. Through the positioning, she represents the trichotomy of the approach that The New Woman engendered among society.

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